Sunday, March 13, 2011

Astrological Energies March 14 to 20, 2011

NorthPointAstrology JournalWritten by Pam YounghansPhoto: Auroras over Kvaløya, close to Tromsø, North Norway (photo by Bjørn Jørgensen)

THE INTENSITY of recent energy shifts is palpable -- and strikingly apparent in our physical reality as well. If current events are accurate reflections of the impact of Uranus in Aries, it seems we have gotten a jump-start on making life-altering changes on our planet and within our global community.

It can be difficult to find the positives in catastrophes such as the ones that have occurred in the past few days. And yet, the higher purposes are there, although perhaps more readily apparent at this time by those who have not felt direct physical impact.

The desire to help, to somehow ease the suffering of our fellow humans, is important to acknowledge and act on now. On energetic levels, we can bless the spirits of those who chose this time to cross over, and send light to those who are in physical and emotional distress now -- and to the minds that are trying to conceive solutions to the ongoing crises in Japan.

THE HEART OPENING we feel when engaged in any such activity of compassion is one of the higher reasons for these events. Crises have the potential to bring us together in ways that we might not otherwise -- especially as we realize that we are all connected. An earthquake or a rebellion in one country has reverberations on many levels throughout the continents and nations of the world. We are learning about our Oneness in very tangible ways.

Perhaps this learning comes to us through Chiron, the Wounded Healer, who is now at work in Pisces. Last year, when Chiron first entered the twelfth sign, the explosion in the Gulf of Mexico was the great unifier -- another crisis involving the oceans, which are ruled by Pisces.

AS OF THIS MORNING, there seems to be a bit of easing in the cosmic energy waves reaching us (written Sunday, March 13). The uncharacteristic headache I've had since waking on Friday morning has finally subsided. But, we are fully engaged in our process of awakening now, which means we can anticipate the incoming waves to continue.

There will be energetic lulls, of course, just as there are high and low tides. When we feel those times of lower impact, it is important to take the time both to rest and recover, and to take care of the practicalities of life that seem to lose importance when we're in the midst of a high tide.

IF YOU DON'T already monitor the SpaceWeather.com website, you might find the information contained there to be helpful in anticipating the higher-energy times. Based on the activity of sunspots, scientists can tell us many things -- when a solar wind will reach Earth's atmosphere, the expected magnitude of the wind, and how strong the accompanying geomagnetic storms are likely to be.

There were very strong geomagnetic storms in effect on March 10 and 11, which are only now starting to subside. Did those storms "cause" the timing of the earthquake? Someone asked me that question on my blog, but I don't know if those studies have been done.

I DO KNOW that when solar winds reach our atmosphere, they effect us electromagnetically -- which means both our outer technologies and our inner magnetic/electrical connections. It's a bit like amping up the electrical current to a device. Sometimes the device can handle it, but it can also go haywire for a bit until it adjusts, or else it may shut down completely.

Gaia is as affected as we are by these electromagnetic fluctuations, so we should not be surprised if she needs to make adjustments accordingly. We see one manifestation of her reaction to the solar winds through the beautiful and awe-inspiring aurora borealis.

But I would love to know if anyone has heard of research that connects strong geomagnetic storms with amplified seismic or volcanic activity. Please send me an email if you have.

WE HAVE a Full Moon toward the end of this week -- a "SuperMoon," which is a lunation that occurs when the Moon is at it closest proximity to the Earth. Such lunations are said to have a stronger-than-usual magnetic pull on the Earth and her inhabitants, so it sounds like we are ready for another shift.

This does NOT necessarily need to manifest in the form of an earthquake -- although if you watch the USGS "Earthquake Hazards" site, you'll see that the shaking in Japan is not over, by any means. There have been more than 387 quakes in the past three days that registered 4.5 or higher on the Richter scale.

Just to set all of our minds a bit at ease, it may be helpful to know we usually have a few SuperMoons during a year (there are six in 2011), and they do not usually correspond with physical earthquakes.

THE FULL MOON next Saturday is in Virgo, in opposition to the Sun in Pisces. This polarity is about balancing the human and the spiritual, practicality and idealism, responsible action and surrender to a higher flow.

The "danger zones" to pay attention to are choosing to play rescuer, martry or victim roles -- on the one hand either believing that we are responsible for and can figure out or control everything in our reality (negative manifestation of Virgo energy) or, on the other end of the spectrum, withdrawing from reality due to feelings of overwhelm, inadequacy, or the need to escape (negative manifestation of Pisces energy).

THE SABIAN SYMBOL for this Full Moon reads:

"A seeker after occult knowledge is reading an ancient scroll which illumines his mind: After a crisis, one should seek to realign the renewed consciousness with the primordial Revelation of the Truth of Man."

It is amazing, given recent events, that this symbol includes the phrase "After a crisis..." And, the synchronicity with current reality continues in the additional interpretation of the symbolic image:

"Any revolutionary movement, once it has succeeded in overcoming the inertia of the past and in toppling obsolete structures, needs to tap the most essential realities of what Man represents and signifies in the universal Order; or else it merely re-embodies in a superficially altered manner the very things it has destroyed. This is the crucial moment. After each revolutionary crisis, this Pattern and this Power can be contacted -- always the same, yet at each new cycle perceivable in a different light."

It may be clear how this relates to the political revolutions occurring now -- but we must also relate it to the changes we are making in our personal lives. If we go through a major shift in our physical reality, but do not take the next step in exploring the meanings, purposes and potentials in the power that has been released and revealed, we may unconsciously go back to our old ways of being, and risk repeating the lessons we feel we have just completed.

This is our opportunity with this lunation -- to gain the heightened awareness represented by the amplified light of the Full Moon, which sheds light on even the darkest regions of our individual and collective worlds.

ANOTHER MILESTONE this week is the Equinox next Sunday -- the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Astrologer Stephanie Austin nicely explains the importance of the Equinox in the current issue of The Mountain Astrologer:

"The alignment of the Earth's equator with the Sun at the equinox causes a reduction in the Earth's magnetic field, facilitating 'switching channels' and increasing access to higher dimensions and new information. These cosmic gateways were recognized by many ancient cultures: Stonehenge in the U.K., Chichen Itza in Mexico, and Chaco Canyon in the U.S. are among the most well known."

This is in addition to the Uranus effect, which will be amplified next Sunday and Monday when the Sun and Uranus align at what astrologers call "the Aries Point." (More on that in next week's NorthPoint Journal.)

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